StillSmart

Re: Problem stripping the ABV from commercial liqueur

2018-01-23T03:52:30+00:00

Easydrinker wrote:
The numbers that work for me certainly would not work for anyone else.

Robert.

Now that is a point worth emphasising. Even when you have the numbers dialed in for your still you may find there is a difference between if you use it in summer and mid winter when the ambient conditions are a lot colder.

Also it may change between recipes. Don't expect to run it the same when you are producing rum and grappa.

Repeatability is the key and that means you need to take note of the conditions each time. That way when you get a product you like you also know how you got it.

On the old big pot stills they used to be really particular. Run the same recipe, blend the boiler charges so they were always the same ABV on both strip and spirit runs, and use the same power levels at each phase of the run. That way they got consistent product between runs.

However, they probably spent a long time trying variations until they got to where they wanted to be.

Keep a diary of fermentation and distilling conditions. One day you may end up with a combination that will be an award winner.

Statistics: Posted by Myles — Tue Jan 23, 2018 3:52 am

Re: Problem stripping the ABV from commercial liqueur

2018-01-22T22:57:07+00:00

babelfish06, well done for coming back at me.
Let you and I start again. Winky thing. See what I did there?
There really is NO definitive guide to using a power controller.
Mash is correct in pointing you at an electrical energy meter, to plug your controller into.
What you need is a recordable number that you can replicate on future, similar runs.
An energy meter will give you this in Watts.
Depending upon where you live you may need to buy a model aimed at a 110 Volt rather than the 220V version linked to.
Other than that,I think the rest is down to you experimenting and making copious notes.
The numbers that work for me certainly would not work for anyone else.

Robert.

Statistics: Posted by Easydrinker — Mon Jan 22, 2018 10:57 pm

Re: Problem stripping the ABV from commercial liqueur

2018-01-22T16:49:39+00:00

Easydrinker wrote:
I am assuming Myles that here you are being specific to a fermented out wash?
I routinely add Bicarb of Soda to my neutral washes on day 3 or 4 after ph testing.
This I find helpful, not derogatory.

Robert.

That was a good catch Robert, thanks - I was not being specific enough. This is one of those situations that is not black or white.

As you stated you can use bicarb in a wash to moderate pH. Most folks thinking of Bicarb do so wrt tidying up cuts. When added to low wines before a spirit run it helps to prevent the formation of ethyl acetate.

The flip side is that if you add it to the wash after fermentation AND you have excess nitrogen remaining in the wash AND you have copper components in the still - it is possible to reduce the acidity of the wash too much.

If it gets towards a neutral pH you can (if you meet the conditions above) generate ammonia gas which is very corrosive on copper and produces blue crystals and blue booze.

If your still is all stainless you probably won`t notice anything unless you smell the ammonia.

Also those folks that do add it to low wines are probably adding a lot more than they actually need. In reality you only need to add enough to get to about pH 8. The ammonia is not an issue with low wines as the excess nitrogen stays in the boiler on the strip run.

Statistics: Posted by Myles — Mon Jan 22, 2018 4:49 pm

Re: Problem stripping the ABV from commercial liqueur

2018-01-22T16:07:35+00:00

So who knows how to calibrate one of these things? (Search is not much help here) My boiler is 1800 watt, do I simply switch the regulator from 220v to 110v to get my boiler from 1800 watt to 900 watt? Any discussion on how to relate the voltage to the wattage would be most welcome.

You could plug in of these and read the numbers.....and you know where to set it next time too.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UK-Plug-Plug ... SwRJxZiZCl

Statistics: Posted by Mash — Mon Jan 22, 2018 4:07 pm

Re: Problem stripping the ABV from commercial liqueur

2018-01-22T12:29:21+00:00

My voltage regulator control arrived and I’ve used it on a spirit run. The way I used it was by basically ingnoring the markings on it but only starting with under half power sort of thing and seeing if I could steady the temp at th3 top of the lyne arm. And keeping the temp steady until pretty much the product stopped coming out, then turning up the dial slightly and doing the same again, if that makes sense.
I found I was able to make decent cuts by this method. In short it was a great tool for me for the pot still attachment on my T500. And it stopped the product just rushing out at full blast.

Statistics: Posted by H12rpo — Mon Jan 22, 2018 12:29 pm

Re: Problem stripping the ABV from commercial liqueur

2018-01-22T12:08:18+00:00

Wow Mash...what a read! Sadly, more talk about bicarb in the wash than soda ash in the low wines. It got into some complicated (for me anyway) chemistry and it went off topic a lot too, although I did see at least one positive comment.
My idea to do a side by side comparison didn't pan out because, with or without the soda ash, the musk taste persists. I have redistilled this about 8 times now (cleaning the saddles and column between each run) but the taste will just not go away.
I ended up finding a voltage controller on ebay H12pro, so when it gets here I will do one more slow run to see if that makes a difference but I'm about ready to give up on it all.
So who knows how to calibrate one of these things? (Search is not much help here) My boiler is 1800 watt, do I simply switch the regulator from 220v to 110v to get my boiler from 1800 watt to 900 watt? Any discussion on how to relate the voltage to the wattage would be most welcome.
Easydrinker...cool ya jets big fella, no-one's 'having a pop' at you.. I was simply remarking (in a humorous way - you saw the winky thing right?) that although you responded too, all you added to the conversation was a whimsical comment about ancient measures. I had said that I couldn't find it, not that I didn't look, so your advice to simply look, like I hadn't, came across a little condescending. Doesn't seem to take much to get on your shit list

Statistics: Posted by babelfish06 — Mon Jan 22, 2018 12:08 pm

Re: Problem stripping the ABV from commercial liqueur

2018-01-10T03:15:03+00:00

babelfish06 wrote:
Thanks Myles for your advice. I am hearing 'redistil' from several sources so that's what I'm gonna do. I called Still Spirits in NZ and they suggested diluting to around 40% and adding 3 teaspoons of soda ash to a 23-25 litre boil. I'm gonna do a with/without comparison to see if it's good advice. I'll post back here when I get a result.
Thanks too H12rpo (and Mash) but there's no postage to Oz from that link and no comparable item in a local search, maybe not legal here.
And Easydrinker...at least your post count went up.

My post count doesn't need to rise.
Welcome to my personal shit list.
I don't mind new members having a pop at me.
It goes with the territory.
The fact that you joined right after I banned a previous member for being a PINTA to other members, I do find suspect.
I will be watching your posts with interest.

This really is the wrong place and person to pick a fight.

Robert.

Statistics: Posted by Easydrinker — Wed Jan 10, 2018 3:15 am

Re: Problem stripping the ABV from commercial liqueur

2018-01-10T00:54:20+00:00

Myles wrote:
Just make sure that you ONLY add bicarb to stripped low wines.

Do not ever add it to the fermented wash. If you have copper components they will get seriously corroded and your distillate will be blue and smell of ammonia.

I am assuming Myles that here you are being specific to a fermented out wash?
I routinely add Bicarb of Soda to my neutral washes on day 3 or 4 after ph testing.
This I find helpful, not derogatory.

Robert.

Statistics: Posted by Easydrinker — Wed Jan 10, 2018 12:54 am

Re: Problem stripping the ABV from commercial liqueur

2018-01-09T15:28:45+00:00

H12rpo wrote:
Here you go.....it’s on the bay
http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.vi ... ID=EBAY-GB

Suitable for the T500 I understand.....I’ve got one on the way

I'm guessing the dial markings is the voltage?
how would that translate to the Wattage? as that seems to be how you would control the temp ie lower to 800W
Does it simply work as half the voltage gives half the wattage?

Statistics: Posted by jonx69 — Tue Jan 09, 2018 3:28 pm

Re: Problem stripping the ABV from commercial liqueur

2018-01-09T11:41:09+00:00

Just make sure that you ONLY add bicarb to stripped low wines.

Do not ever add it to the fermented wash. If you have copper components they will get seriously corroded and your distillate will be blue and smell of ammonia.

Statistics: Posted by Myles — Tue Jan 09, 2018 11:41 am

Re: Problem stripping the ABV from commercial liqueur

2018-01-09T11:36:37+00:00

There’s a T500 compatible controller on the still spirits site for New Zealand

Statistics: Posted by H12rpo — Tue Jan 09, 2018 11:36 am

Re: Problem stripping the ABV from commercial liqueur

2018-01-09T10:45:22+00:00

babelfish06 wrote:
Thanks Myles for your advice. I am hearing 'redistil' from several sources so that's what I'm gonna do. I called Still Spirits in NZ and they suggested diluting to around 40% and adding 3 teaspoons of soda ash to a 23-25 litre boil. I'm gonna do a with/without comparison to see if it's good advice. I'll post back here when I get a result.

This is a good discussion. http://www.artisan-distiller.net/phpBB3 ... =32&t=5649

Statistics: Posted by Mash — Tue Jan 09, 2018 10:45 am

Re: Problem stripping the ABV from commercial liqueur

2018-01-09T07:13:49+00:00

I very much doubt they are illegal. They are made in China, if you have a look on local auction sites I am positive you will find similar.

Statistics: Posted by Mash — Tue Jan 09, 2018 7:13 am

Re: Problem stripping the ABV from commercial liqueur

2018-01-09T06:26:03+00:00

Thanks Myles for your advice. I am hearing 'redistil' from several sources so that's what I'm gonna do. I called Still Spirits in NZ and they suggested diluting to around 40% and adding 3 teaspoons of soda ash to a 23-25 litre boil. I'm gonna do a with/without comparison to see if it's good advice. I'll post back here when I get a result.
Thanks too H12rpo (and Mash) but there's no postage to Oz from that link and no comparable item in a local search, maybe not legal here.
And Easydrinker...at least your post count went up.

Statistics: Posted by babelfish06 — Tue Jan 09, 2018 6:26 am

Re: Problem stripping the ABV from commercial liqueur

2018-01-08T19:53:29+00:00

Here you go.....it’s on the bay
http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.vi ... ID=EBAY-GB

Suitable for the T500 I understand.....I’ve got one on the way

Statistics: Posted by H12rpo — Mon Jan 08, 2018 7:53 pm